Christine de Pizan was a writer in the 14th and 15th centuries and one of the first feminists in history.Her works were mainly about love and women and she had many admirers, many of them royalty.
Christine de Pizan was born in Venice in 1364. She spent her childhood at the French royal court, as her father was an astrologer and physician to Charles V.
She had an excellent education, rare for a girl of her time, as her father supported and loved her. She married Etienne du Castel, at 15, who would aspire to be the French court secretary.
Ten years later in 1390 her husband died and, to support her three children, she took up writing. Her first works were poems of love, about her late husband, and when these were met with success in France she continued writing poetry, and began to write prose about history, biography and women.
Her books defended and informed women, and promoted famous women. She was so succesful that she was asked (and accepted) to write the life of King Charles V. During French civil wars she wrote books and poems on peace, urging the soldiers to stop fighting.
Her works include
- Le Livre de la mutacion de fortune (1400-1403) The Book of the Mutation of Fortune
- Le Livre du chemin de long estude (1402-1403) The book of the way of the long learning
- Querelle du Roman de la Rose (1402) The Quarrel of the Romance of the Rose
- Le Livre de la cite des dames (1404-1405) The Book of the City of Ladies
- Le Ditie de Jehanne d'Arc (1429, her last work) The Song of Joan of Arc
In 1415 she went to live in a convent. She died in 1430, age 66 and her last work was a poem about Joan of Arc. Her works were famous not only in France, but all over Europe, as some of her works were translated.
"A person whose head is bowed and whose eyes are heavy cannot look at the light" - Christine de Pizan, Ditie de Jehanne d'Arc (The Song of Joan of Arc)
Christine de Pizan (sometimes spelled as Pisan)
Christine de Pizan was a writer in the 14th and 15th centuries and one of the first feminists in history.Her works were mainly about love and women and she had many admirers, many of them royalty.Christine de Pizan was born in Venice in 1364. She spent her childhood at the French royal court, as her father was an astrologer and physician to Charles V.
She had an excellent education, rare for a girl of her time, as her father supported and loved her. She married Etienne du Castel, at 15, who would aspire to be the French court secretary.
Ten years later in 1390 her husband died and, to support her three children, she took up writing. Her first works were poems of love, about her late husband, and when these were met with success in France she continued writing poetry, and began to write prose about history, biography and women.
Her books defended and informed women, and promoted famous women. She was so succesful that she was asked (and accepted) to write the life of King Charles V. During French civil wars she wrote books and poems on peace, urging
Her works include
In 1415 she went to live in a convent. She died in 1430, age 66 and her last work was a poem about Joan of Arc. Her works were famous not only in France, but all over Europe, as some of her works were translated.
"A person whose head is bowed and whose eyes are heavy cannot look at the light"
- Christine de Pizan, Ditie de Jehanne d'Arc (The Song of Joan of Arc)